Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/01/29/phonak-audeo-pfe-232-earphones-review/
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Phonak Aud?o PFE 232 Earphones Review
I?m torn about the PFE 232 Earphones from Phonak Audeo. They are about the best sounding universal-fit earphones I?ve yet heard. They are well made, extremely comfortable, customizable (more on that later), and have replaceable cables. But wow, are they expensive. There is no getting around that. It?s an elephant in the room you can?t [...]
Saturday, January 28, 2012
VIDEO: Ferris Lives! Matthew Broderick Reprises Iconic Role for Super Bowl Ad (omg!)
Bueller ... bueller ... BUELLER!
Twenty-five years after the release of the now '80s pop-culture classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Matthew Broderick will reprise his role as the fun-loving "totally righteous dude" for a commercial airing on the day of the Super Bowl.
What product or company the commercial is for remains unknown ? the 10-second YouTube teaser was posted under an account named "chuckachucka 2012" seemingly in reference to the noise heard in the famous Yello song "Oh Yeah" that played over the end credits of the John Hughes film.
Check out photos of Matthew Broderick
But there's no question who Broderick is playing in the teaser when he opens the curtains, just like Bueller does at the start of his fun-filled ditch day, and asks the camera, "How can I handle work on a day like today?"
Watch the teaser below and begin speculating about what exactly Ferris will be shilling come game day:
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Philippines studying U.S. offer to deploy spy planes (Reuters)
MANILA (Reuters) ? The Philippines is considering a U.S. proposal to deploy surveillance aircraft on a temporary, rotating basis to enhance its ability to guard disputed areas in the South China Sea, the Philippine defense minister said on Friday.
Ongoing talks in Washington on security ties between the two allies include plans to deploy more littoral combat ships and spy aircraft, said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
An expanded U.S. military presence in the region should raise the Philippines' capability to deter border intrusions, he said.
"I would rather look at it from the positive point of view that there would be stability in the region, that we would have enough deterrent," Gazmin told reporters.
"Without a deterrent force, we can be easily pushed around, our territories will be violated. Now that we have a good neighbor on the block, we can no longer be bullied," he said, referring to the United States.
U.S. and Philippine officials are discussing the expansion of military cooperation as the Philippines grapples with the growing assertiveness of China.
The talks with the Philippines, a U.S. ally which voted to remove huge American naval and air bases 20 years ago, follow Washington's announcement of plans to set up a Marine base in northern Australia and possibly station warships in Singapore.
The Obama administration describes the moves as part of a "pivot" toward economically dynamic Asia designed to reassure allies who felt neglected during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
But China sees the deployments as part of a broader U.S. attempt to encircle it as it grows into a major power.
The South China Sea could be a flash point.
China claims the entire sea, while the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan all have claims to parts of the area believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas.
PROTEST
Gazmin confirmed a U.S. offer to deploy surveillance aircraft in the Philippines but he said there was no plan for any new U.S. bases. The Philippines has a constitutional ban on foreign military bases on its soil.
Gazmin said there would be more exercises with U.S. forces and a rotating presence through port visits for exercises, repairs and resupply.
Since 2002, about 600 U.S. commandos have been stationed in the south of the Philippines to help train and advise Philippine
troops in fighting a small Islamist militant group with ties to al Qaeda.
A Philippine military source told Reuters the head of the U.S. Pacific Command had proposed last August the deployment of P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft.
More talks are due in Washington in March.
Left-wing Philippine groups are planning to hold protests outside the U.S. embassy in Manila on Saturday to denounce what they describe as the "treacherous" negotiations with the United States.
"They say that they will not bring back the U.S. bases but the proposal aims for virtual basing just the same," Renato Reyes, secretary-general of left-wing Bayan (Nation) group, said in a statement.
The Philippines hosted major U.S. military facilities with tens of thousands of airmen and sailors for nearly a century until 1992 when U.S. forces pulled out after a vote in the Philippine Senate to terminate the bases treaty.
In 1998, the Philippines and the United States signed a Visiting Forces Agreement that allows U.S. troops to visit for exercises and rest and recreation.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said the talks would not include the creation of any new U.S. bases.
(Editing by Rosemarie Francisco and Robert Birsel)
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
99% A Separation
Asghar Farhadi's "A Separation" (made in Iran) is a deceptively simple film. On the surface, it seems quite mundane. But gradually, its deeper themes emerge beautifully. It is not just about the specific legal disputes that make up the plot. It's a deep expression of sorrow about the divisions in present-day Persian society. It's complex enough that one could analyze it in different ways ad infinitum. (How often are you able to say that about a film nowadays?!) The divisions that hit me most powerfully are: - Class stratification. The gap between the well-educated professional class and the poorly educated working class is depicted in a brutal, heart-wrenching way. - Religious stratification. The gap between the religious population (Muslim, of course) and the secular population is shown to have some correspondence to class stratification, with the poor and less educated tending to be more religious, but not always. - Family divisions. This is explored several ways. A well-educated family is torn apart over whether to leave Iran. The mother wants to leave; the father does not. Their teenage daughter is caught in the middle, forced to make an agonizing choice: which parent does she want to stay with? Before this, I had always thought that families were united in the desire to migrate. This film clued me into the devastating struggles families go through trying to reach consensus around the momentous decision to uproot the family and possibly never again see family members left behind. A chief reason the man does not want to leave is that he cannot leave his father alone. The divisions inside a poor family are also explored. Here it surrounds whether a married woman should work outside the home. This struggle has religious overtones as well. "A Separation" is uncommonly rich. Its weakness is that it does become tedious at times. There are endless scenes in make-shift courtrooms, where witnesses bicker with each other. The camera work is extremely pedestrian. Farhadi seems to be of the mind that the director's hand should be invisible. He should just set up the camera, point it toward the actors, and turn it on. This approach to filmmaking is risky. Sometimes a flat style is paradoxically exhilarating. But more often it leads to a dull cinematic experience for the audience. Unfortunately, this happened too often during the film, at least for me. But still, there's no denying the depth and uniqueness of "A Separation." I'm delighted that it has become an art-house sensation in America. I also look forward to following Asghar Farhadi's career with more care. (This is the fifth film he has directed but the first I've seen or even heard of.)
January 6, 2012Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_separation_2011/
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Monster Summoning Information
Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.
Monster Tamer partner information
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.
Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!
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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.Monster Tamer partner information
Monsters fight on behalf of their masters, monsters can be recruited after reaching certain dungeons/habitats. The following recruitable monsters and their stat information. Monsters can equip weapons just like human classes can, however they're limited to non-celestial(ultimates, each monster class also have unique accessory equips.
Enkidou
Enkidou is the starting monster that comes with the summoner class. I
it's stats are quite balanced and its loyalty to its master is unparalled.
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 7.5
Stamina: 6.5
Dexterity: 7.5
Speed: 7.5
Intellect: 6
Spirit: 8.5
43.5
Weapons: Asian swords, 1 hand swords, automail, knives.
Galarus
Galarus is an ice-dragon type monster, presiding over the ice elemental. It's offensive magic and high defensive stats makes it well suited for combat. It's known as the lord of the "artic"
Elemental: 
Stats
Strength: 7
Stamina: 8
Dexterity: 7
Speed: 7
Intellect: 8
Spirit: 7
44
Weapons: Spears, Rods and Staffs.
Lionel
Lionel is an electric-lion type monster, presiding over the lightning element,
It's stamina, speed and strength makes it well suited for combat. It's known as the king of "thunder".
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 8
Stamina: 7.5
Dexterity: 7
Speed: 8
Intellect: 7
Spirit: 6.5
44
Weapons: 1 hand swords, great swords, automail, knives.
Galum is an earth type golem monster, presiding over the earth element. It's stamina and defensive stats makes it well suited for tanking combat. It's known as titan of the earth.
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 9
Stamina: 9.5
Dexterity: 5
Speed: 5
Intellect: 5
Spirit: 9.5
43
Weapons: Barefisted, automail, axes and hammers(with shield).
Yemaja is a water type mermaid monster, presiding over the water element. It's well rounded stats makes it well suited for any type of combat, although because she is a water element, she's best as a healer-fighter. It's known as the mistress of the sea.
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 6.5
Stamina: 6
Dexterity: 7.5
Speed: 9
Intellect: 7
Spirit: 7
43
Weapons: Spears, Rod and Staff.
Omega is a non-elemental monster belonging to the metal element, it's non-elemental attacks makes it useful for boses. Belonging to a race of merciless robotic mercenaries, it's the last of its prototype after a solar surge whiped out its kin. At the time, omega was on a mission to hunt and slay Galarus, ice lord of the artic. After a lengthy battle
with Galarus, it was frozen by one of Galarus attacks rendering it in a cyronogenic state.
It's programmed to hunt down and slay formidable marks. It is quite the hunter.
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 8.5
Stamina: 7.5
Dexterity: 8
Speed: 7.5
Intellect: 7
Spirit: 6
44.5
Weapons: Bows, Rifles, All swords, Automail.
Gabriel
Gabriel is a holy type archangel monster, presiding over the holy element. It's mastery of
powerful arcane magics makes it well suited for any type of combat. She is known as the messenger of God and the vessel for his strength.
Elemental: 
Stats
Strength: 7
Stamina: 7
Dexterity: 6
Speed: 7
Intellect: 9
Spirit: 9
45
Weapons: Greatswords, 1 hand sword and shield, rods and staff.
Luciford is a fallen angel type monster, presiding over the denizens of the dark.
It's mastery of violent arcane magics makes it well suited for offensive style battling. He is known as the prince of darkness.
Elemental:
Stats
Strength: 8
Stamina: 8
Dexterity: 7
Speed: 8
Intellect: 8
Spirit: 6
45
Weapons: handguns, rifles, spears, axes and hammer, automail.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Compounds in mate tea kills cancer cells | ScienceBlog.com
Could preventing colon cancer be as simple as developing a taste for yerba mate tea? In a recent University of Illinois study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of this brew, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties.
?The caffeine derivatives in mate tea not only induced death in human colon cancer cells, they also reduced important markers of inflammation,? said Elvira de Mejia, a U of I associate professor of food chemistry and food toxicology.
That?s important because inflammation can trigger the steps of cancer progression, she said.
In the in vitro study, de Mejia and former graduate student Sirima Puangpraphant isolated, purified, and then treated human colon cancer cells with caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives from mate tea. As the scientists increased the CQA concentration, cancer cells died as a result of apoptosis.
?Put simply, the cancer cell self-destructs because its DNA has been damaged,? she said.
The ability to induce apoptosis, or cell death, is a promising tactic for therapeutic interventions in all types of cancer, she said.
de Mejia said they were able to identify the mechanism that led to cell death. Certain CQA derivatives dramatically decreased several markers of inflammation, including NF-kappa-B, which regulates many genes that affect the process through the production of important enzymes. Ultimately cancer cells died with the induction of two specific enzymes, caspase-3 and caspase-8, de Mejia said.
?If we can reduce the activity of NF-kappa-B, the important marker that links inflammation and cancer, we?ll be better able to control the transformation of normal cells to cancer cells,? she added.
The results of the study strongly suggest that the caffeine derivatives in mate tea have potential as anti-cancer agents and could also be helpful in other diseases associated with inflammation, she said.
But, because the colon and its microflora play a major role in the absorption and metabolism of caffeine-related compounds, the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of mate tea may be most useful in the colon.
?We believe there?s ample evidence to support drinking mate tea for its bioactive benefits, especially if you have reason to be concerned about colon cancer. Mate tea bags are available in health food stores and are increasingly available in large supermarkets,? she added.
The scientists have already completed and will soon publish the results of a study that compares the development of colon cancer in rats that drank mate tea as their only source of water with a control group that drank only water.
This in vitro study was published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, vol. 55, pp. 1509-1522, in 2011. Co-authors include Sirima Puangpraphant, now an assistant professor at Kasetsart University in Thailand; Greg Potts, an undergraduate student of the U of I; and Mark A. Berhow and Karl Vermillion of the USDA, ARS, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois. The work was funded by the U of I Research Board and Puangpraphant?s Royal Thai Government Scholarship.
Source: http://scienceblog.com/51739/compounds-in-mate-tea-kills-cancer-cells/
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
'Nonstick' pollutants may cut efficiency of vaccines in kids
Effects in children with the highest exposures suggest immunizations may fail to protect some from disease
Web edition : 4:16 pm
Tiny concentrations of two common pollutants ? chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS ? in the blood may be linked to impaired immunity in children, a new study finds. In kids with the highest exposure to the chemicals, vaccinations can fail to trigger sufficient quantities of protective antibodies.
?We were shocked, to be frank, in the magnitude of the effect,? says study leader Philippe Grandjean, a physician at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. He and his European colleagues describe their findings in the Jan. 25 Journal of the American Medical Association.
The long-lived pollutants ? part of a class of chemicals called perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs ? have been generated over the years by the production of chemicals that impart nonstick and water- and stain-repellency to fabrics, cookware and more, including older formulations of treatments marketed under such trade names as Teflon and Scotchgard. Pervasive environmental contaminants, PFCs taint air, water and food.
For the new study, Grandjean?s group followed 587 children in Denmark?s Faroe Islands (about midway between Norway and Iceland) from before birth through age 7. The researchers measured PFCs in the blood of the kids? moms during pregnancy and in the children at ages 5 and 7. Blood concentrations of the chemicals, Grandjean points out, were in the same ballpark, if a bit lower, than those typically seen in Americans.
The Faroese youngsters received standard childhood immunizations, and their antibody responses to tetanus and diphtheria were measured as babies and before and after booster vaccinations at age 5.
Children with the highest perfluorinated pollutant exposures tended to exhibit a less robust response to the vaccines, both before and after their booster shots.
Among children in the top third of exposure to the chemicals PFOA, PFOS and a third related compound that goes by the nickname PFHxS, ?inadequate response to the vaccinations was particularly common,? Grandjean observes. When subpar responses occur ? antibody levels below 0.1 international units per milliliter ? ?we can?t rely on a vaccine as being effective,? he explains.
The findings mean the immune system is somehow deficient, Grandjean says, and they and raise questions about whether such deficiencies might also point to a heightened vulnerability to allergy, asthma and even, potentially, autoimmune disease.
Toxicologist Margie Peden-Adams of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas finds the new study impressive. "Those of us in the field will be excited to see it.?
The immune system is one of the most sensitive systems for toxicity, Peden-Adams says. In rodent tests, her team showed fetal and adult exposure to PFOA and PFOS diminish antibody production to foreign substances.
In cell-based studies, Emanuela Corsini of the University of Milan in Italy and her colleagues saw related problems and identified two different mechanisms for the apparent immunotoxicity of PFOA versus PFOS. Although primary PFC manufacturers have stopped using or are voluntarily phasing out both compounds, Corsini notes, she says these chemicals remain ?of toxicological concern due to their environmental persistence and potential to bioaccumulate through the food chain.?
Found in: Chemistry and Environment
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Scripps Research scientists provide new understanding of chronic pain
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Public release date: 22-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Mika Ono
mikaono@scripps.edu
858-784-2052
Scripps Research Institute
Findings suggest new target for drug development
LA JOLLA, CA January 22, 2012 Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective. But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, using a new approach known as metabolomics, has now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a small-molecule byproduct of cellular membranes in the nervous system. In their new study, the scientists found that DMS is produced at abnormally high levels in the spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain and appears to cause pain when injected. The findings suggest inhibiting this molecule may be a fruitful target for drug development.
"We think that this is a big step forward in understanding and treating neuropathic pain, and also a solid demonstration of the power of metabolomics," said Gary J. Patti, a research associate at Scripps Research during the study, and now an assistant professor of genetics, chemistry, and medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. Patti is a lead author of the report on the study, which appeared online in the journal Nature Chemical Biology on January 22, 2012.
Scientists who want to understand what makes diseased cells different from healthy cells have often looked for differences in levels of gene expression or cellular proteinsapproaches known respectively as genomics and proteomics. Metabolomics, by contrast, concerns differences in the levels of small-molecule metabolites, such as sugars, vitamins, and amino acids, that serve as the building blocks of basic cellular processes. "These are the molecules that are actually being transformed during cellular activity, and tracking them provides more direct information on what's happening at a biochemical level," Patti said.
Metabolomics is increasingly used to find biochemical markers or signatures of diseases. One of the most relied-upon "metabolome" databases, METLIN, was set up at Scripps Research in 2005, and now contains data on thousands of metabolites found in humans and other organisms. However, in this case the research team hoped to do more than find a metabolic marker of neuropathic pain.
"The idea was to apply metabolomic analysis to understand the biochemical basis of the neuropathic pain condition and reveal potential therapeutic targets," said Gary Siuzdak, a senior investigator in the study, who is professor of chemistry and molecular biology and director of the Scripps Research Center for Metabolomics. "We call this approach 'therapeutic metabolomics'."
The scientists began with a standard model of neuropathic pain in lab rats. Patti, Siuzdak, and their colleagues sampled segments of a previously injured tibial leg nerve triggering neuropathic pain, as well as the rats' blood plasma and tissue from the rats' spinal cords. The scientists then determined the levels of metabolites in these tissues, and compared them to levels from control animals.
Unexpectedly, the scientists found that nearly all the major abnormalities in metabolite levels were present not in the injured leg nerve fiber, nor in blood plasma, but in tissue from the "dorsal horn" region of the spinal cord which normally receives signals from the tibial nerve and relays them to the brain. "After the nerve is damaged, it degrades and rebuilds itself at the site of the injury, but remodeling also occurs, possibly over a longer period, at the terminus of the nerve where it connects to dorsal horn neurons," Patti said.
Next, the researchers set up a test to see which of the abnormally altered metabolites in dorsal horn tissue could evoke signs of pain signaling in cultures of rat spinal cord tissue. One metabolite stood outa small molecule that didn't appear in any of the metabolome databases. Patti eventually determined that the molecule was DMS, an apparent byproduct of cellular reactions involving sphingomyelin, a major building block for the insulating sheaths of nerve fibers. "This is the first characterization and quantitation of DMS as a naturally occurring compound," Patti noted. When the scientists injected it into healthy rats, at a dose similar to that found in the nerve-injured rats, it induced pain.
DMS seems to cause pain at least in part by stimulating the release of pro-inflammatory molecules from neuron-supporting cells called astrocytes. Patti, Siuzdak, and their colleagues are now trying to find out more about DMS's pain-inducing mechanismsand are testing inhibitors of DMS production that may prove to be effective treatments or preventives of neuropathic pain.
"We're very excited about this therapeutic metabolomics approach," said Siuzdak. "In fact, we're already involved in several other projects in which metabolites are giving us a direct indication of disease biochemistry and potential treatments."
###
Oscar Yanes, a postdoctoral fellow in the Siuzdak laboratory, was Patti's co-lead author of the study, "Metabolomics Implicates Dysregulated Sphingomyelin Metabolism in the Central Nervous System During Neuropathic Pain." The other contributors were Leah Shriver and Marianne Manchester of the University of California, San Diego (or UC San Diego) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Jean-Phillipe Courade, then at Pfizer, now at UCB Pharma in Belgium; and Ralf Tautenhahn of the Siuzdak laboratory.
Funding for the research was provided in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and vaccine development, as well as for its insights into autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious disease. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes a campus in Jupiter, Florida, where scientists focus on drug discovery and technology development in addition to basic biomedical science. Scripps Research currently employs about 3,000 scientists, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on its two campuses. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, is ranked among the top ten such programs in the nation. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.
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Public release date: 22-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Mika Ono
mikaono@scripps.edu
858-784-2052
Scripps Research Institute
Findings suggest new target for drug development
LA JOLLA, CA January 22, 2012 Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective. But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, using a new approach known as metabolomics, has now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a small-molecule byproduct of cellular membranes in the nervous system. In their new study, the scientists found that DMS is produced at abnormally high levels in the spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain and appears to cause pain when injected. The findings suggest inhibiting this molecule may be a fruitful target for drug development.
"We think that this is a big step forward in understanding and treating neuropathic pain, and also a solid demonstration of the power of metabolomics," said Gary J. Patti, a research associate at Scripps Research during the study, and now an assistant professor of genetics, chemistry, and medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. Patti is a lead author of the report on the study, which appeared online in the journal Nature Chemical Biology on January 22, 2012.
Scientists who want to understand what makes diseased cells different from healthy cells have often looked for differences in levels of gene expression or cellular proteinsapproaches known respectively as genomics and proteomics. Metabolomics, by contrast, concerns differences in the levels of small-molecule metabolites, such as sugars, vitamins, and amino acids, that serve as the building blocks of basic cellular processes. "These are the molecules that are actually being transformed during cellular activity, and tracking them provides more direct information on what's happening at a biochemical level," Patti said.
Metabolomics is increasingly used to find biochemical markers or signatures of diseases. One of the most relied-upon "metabolome" databases, METLIN, was set up at Scripps Research in 2005, and now contains data on thousands of metabolites found in humans and other organisms. However, in this case the research team hoped to do more than find a metabolic marker of neuropathic pain.
"The idea was to apply metabolomic analysis to understand the biochemical basis of the neuropathic pain condition and reveal potential therapeutic targets," said Gary Siuzdak, a senior investigator in the study, who is professor of chemistry and molecular biology and director of the Scripps Research Center for Metabolomics. "We call this approach 'therapeutic metabolomics'."
The scientists began with a standard model of neuropathic pain in lab rats. Patti, Siuzdak, and their colleagues sampled segments of a previously injured tibial leg nerve triggering neuropathic pain, as well as the rats' blood plasma and tissue from the rats' spinal cords. The scientists then determined the levels of metabolites in these tissues, and compared them to levels from control animals.
Unexpectedly, the scientists found that nearly all the major abnormalities in metabolite levels were present not in the injured leg nerve fiber, nor in blood plasma, but in tissue from the "dorsal horn" region of the spinal cord which normally receives signals from the tibial nerve and relays them to the brain. "After the nerve is damaged, it degrades and rebuilds itself at the site of the injury, but remodeling also occurs, possibly over a longer period, at the terminus of the nerve where it connects to dorsal horn neurons," Patti said.
Next, the researchers set up a test to see which of the abnormally altered metabolites in dorsal horn tissue could evoke signs of pain signaling in cultures of rat spinal cord tissue. One metabolite stood outa small molecule that didn't appear in any of the metabolome databases. Patti eventually determined that the molecule was DMS, an apparent byproduct of cellular reactions involving sphingomyelin, a major building block for the insulating sheaths of nerve fibers. "This is the first characterization and quantitation of DMS as a naturally occurring compound," Patti noted. When the scientists injected it into healthy rats, at a dose similar to that found in the nerve-injured rats, it induced pain.
DMS seems to cause pain at least in part by stimulating the release of pro-inflammatory molecules from neuron-supporting cells called astrocytes. Patti, Siuzdak, and their colleagues are now trying to find out more about DMS's pain-inducing mechanismsand are testing inhibitors of DMS production that may prove to be effective treatments or preventives of neuropathic pain.
"We're very excited about this therapeutic metabolomics approach," said Siuzdak. "In fact, we're already involved in several other projects in which metabolites are giving us a direct indication of disease biochemistry and potential treatments."
###
Oscar Yanes, a postdoctoral fellow in the Siuzdak laboratory, was Patti's co-lead author of the study, "Metabolomics Implicates Dysregulated Sphingomyelin Metabolism in the Central Nervous System During Neuropathic Pain." The other contributors were Leah Shriver and Marianne Manchester of the University of California, San Diego (or UC San Diego) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Jean-Phillipe Courade, then at Pfizer, now at UCB Pharma in Belgium; and Ralf Tautenhahn of the Siuzdak laboratory.
Funding for the research was provided in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and vaccine development, as well as for its insights into autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious disease. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes a campus in Jupiter, Florida, where scientists focus on drug discovery and technology development in addition to basic biomedical science. Scripps Research currently employs about 3,000 scientists, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on its two campuses. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, is ranked among the top ten such programs in the nation. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.
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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/sri-srs011712.php
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Monday, January 23, 2012
Make an Impromptu Heat Pad [DIY]
Several years ago we covered how you can make a DIY heating pad by sewing a pocket out of an old t-shirt and adding dried beans and/or rice, but if you need it now or don't have sewing skills you can get the same effect by putting dried beans or rice in a clean sock or pillowcase.
Just make sure you tie the sock or pillow so the rice or beans can't escape. Tool blog Cool Tools recommends microwaving for 1-2 minutes to produce up to 10 minutes of heat. They also note that after several uses as a heat pad the rice will start to break down, so you may want to retire the rice after a few days of heavy use. You can also experiment with spices and herbs to add in elements of aromatherapy as well. Photo by Linda
Homemade Hot Pad | Cool Tools
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/KyAaaVLPdwc/make-an-impromptu-heat-pad
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Deputy head of Libya's NTC quits after protests (Reuters)
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) ? The deputy head of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) said on Sunday he was resigning after a series of protests against the new government which the country's leader warned could drag Libya into a "bottomless pit."
The protests have pitched the NTC into its deepest crisis since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown with help from NATO powers last year, and they raise new questions about the council's ability to govern the oil exporting country.
Late Saturday, a crowd demanding the government's resignation forced their way into the NTC's local headquarters in Benghazi while the NTC chief was inside, in the most serious show of anger at the authorities since Gaddafi's ouster.
The NTC has the support of Western powers, but it is unelected, has been slow to restore basic public services, and some Libyans say too many of its members are tarnished by ties to Gaddafi.
Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice-president of the NTC and one of the council's highest-profile members, was the target of some of the protesters' criticism. Last week, students jostled him when he visited a university in Benghazi and he had to be pulled to safety.
"My resignation is for the benefit of the nation and is required at this stage," Ghoga told Al Jazeera television.
He said the national consensus that helped the country rise up and end Gaddafi's 42-year rule had not lasted into peace-time, giving way to what he called an atmosphere of hatred.
"I do not want this atmosphere to continue and negatively affect the National Transitional Council and its performance," said Ghoga, who also acted as the NTC's spokesman.
DISAPPOINTED HOPES
Protesters say the NTC has failed to live up to the aspirations of the revolt against Gaddafi, the most violent of the "Arab Spring" uprisings.
"We hoped for security, peace and transparency. We have seen the opposite," said Miftah Al-Rabia, 28, who was standing outside the NTC's Benghazi headquarters Sunday with a group of protesters.
NTC chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil, speaking at a news conference in Benghazi just over an hour before Ghoga announced he was resigning, appealed to the protesters to be more patient.
"We are going through a political movement that can take the country to a bottomless pit," he said. "There is something behind these protests that is not for the good of the country."
"The people have not given the government enough time and the government does not have enough money. Maybe there are delays, but the government has only been working for two months. Give them a chance, at least two months."
He said he had accepted the resignation of Benghazi's mayor, Saleh El-Ghazal, following the protests, and promised elections to choose the mayor's successor.
In a glimpse of the lack of coordination which Western diplomats say pervades the workings of the NTC, Abdel Jalil was asked if Ghoga would be stepping down and said he would not.
Sources in the NTC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ghoga has not submitted a letter of resignation.
They said he was angry at being manhandled at the university and that a delegation had gone to his home to try to talk him out of resigning.
The location of the protests is particularly galling for the NTC. Benghazi, in eastern Libya, was the birthplace of the revolt against Gaddafi's rule and the site of the NTC's headquarters during the revolt.
HASTILY-FORMED COUNCIL
The protests add to the list of challenges facing the NTC.
It is struggling to bring to heel dozens of armed militias who have carved the country into rival fiefdoms and are so far refusing to join a newly created national army.
Foreign states are worried about the NTC's capacity to secure its borders against arms traffickers, al Qaeda insurgents and migrants trying to reach Europe illegally.
The NTC was formed in the early days of the revolt against Gaddafi from a hastily-assembled group of lawyers, government officials who defected, Muslim clerics, tribal leaders and civil society activists.
At the time, Gaddafi's troops were using automatic weapons to fire on protests in Benghazi and elsewhere, and there was little time to vet the members.
But nearly six months on from the moment the rebellion took control of the capital Tripoli, Libyans are started to question the council's legitimacy.
In particular, some people have cast doubt over the loyalties of former Gaddafi lieutenants who are now in the NTC. These include Abdel Jalil himself, who was justice minister under Gaddafi before defecting early in the uprising.
The council says it will dissolve itself once elections are held for a transitional national assembly. That vote is scheduled to take place in about six months.
At the NTC headquarters in Benghazi Sunday, smashed windows bore witness to the protests Saturday night. Guards in camouflage fatigues patrolled the building.
"We still don't know who exactly is in the NTC. There is no transparency," said Al-Rabia, a protester standing outside the building with a group of about 30 other men.
Another protester, 24-year-old Mohammed Mahmoud, said he fought against Gaddafi during the revolt and wounded his shoulder and hand.
"We fought on the front line and received injuries but we did not see the NTC with us," he said. "I have one single question: Why has the NTC failed at everything except selling oil? We want to correct the path of the revolution."
(Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Ali Shuaib and Taha Zargoun in Tripoli and Mohammad Al Tommy in Benghazi; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Elizabeth Piper)
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
African Union troops reach outskirts of Mogadishu
Somali women gather together in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Somali women gather together in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Women queue up to receive basic foodstuffs at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A young girl stands by makeshift tents in a camp for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A child walks away carrying a bowl of food after receiving it at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Children line up to receive a meal at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Six months after the U.N. declared Somalia's capital a famine zone the number of famine refugees there is dwindling, as most of the men have gone home to try to revive devastated herds and withered crops. The women and children would like to join them but many don't have enough money to make the long journey, meaning there will be fewer hands on farms and smaller harvests. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? Heavy fighting broke out in Somalia's capital on Friday as the African Union peacekeeping force encountered resistance as it pushed to Mogadishu's outskirts for the first time, the latest move in an offensive against Islamist insurgents.
Hundreds of residents fled a northern Mogadishu neighborhood after waking to the sound of mortars and gunfire. AU troops have largely pushed al-Shabab militants out of the city over the last year, but pockets of resistance remain.
Resident Abdirahman Ahmed said he was awakened by "noisy mortars" on Friday, said that al-Shabab fighters appeared to be moving back into the northern neighborhood of Heliwa.
"We want to flee now," he said, adding: "People are nervous."
Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, the spokesman for the AU force that is known as AMISOM, said Friday was the first time that AU forces moved outside of Mogadishu.
"We are moving out of the city now so we can defend the city from outside now. Our troops have captured strategic bases from al-Shabab," Ankunda said.
The nearly 10,000-strong AU force was confined in previous years to small slices of Mogadishu, but the push to expand their zones of control over the last year have been largely successful. The AU force is working side by side with Somali troops, but most of the gains have been made by the better trained and equipped troops from Uganda and Burundi.
Al-Shabab is also being pressured by Kenyan military forces in Somalia's south and Ethiopian forces in the west.
Militants continue to carry out suicide and roadside bomb attacks in Mogadishu. At least six bombs were found or exploded in the capital since Wednesday, including a blast on Thursday that killed six people.
Meanwhile, the AU force commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha, said that around 3,000 Somali troops had not received their wages for the past four months. The AU is supposed to pay them with money donated by Italy, but Mugisha said the Italians had not yet sent the cash. The delay in payment had caused some soldiers to desert their posts, he said.
"It will have an impact on morale," he said.
Around 7,000 other Somali soldiers are paid by the U.S. through a separate program.
Somalia hasn't had a functioning government in more than 20 years. The current transitional government, whose mandate ends in August, is paralyzed by political infighting. The U.N. is pressing government leaders to resolve their differences and expand the areas in the country the government provides services to.
Somalia has also been dealing with a famine the last six months that is estimated to have killed between 50,000 and 100,000 people. Friday was the six-month mark since the U.N. declared famine in Somalia on July 20.
___
Associated Press reporter Katharine Houreld contributed to this report.
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The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM!
The calm after the storm? No sir. CES may be over, but the tech news is still flowing like sweet, sweet strawberry wine. Tim and Darren are both in town for that little Apple event that unfolded earlier today, so they'll be doing a live, in-studio throw down with Brian, Engadget Podcast-style. Follow along in the chat, after the jump.
Continue reading The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM!
The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Saturday, January 21, 2012
Steelers QB settles lawsuit alleging '08 rape
RENO, Nev. (AP) ? Lawyers for Ben Roethlisberger and a woman who accused him of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino in 2008 have reached a settlement that ends her civil lawsuit against the Steelers quarterback.
Cal Dunlap, the Reno lawyer representing the woman, told The Associated Press on Friday "the matter has been resolved." He said he had no further comment.
The Reno Gazette-Journal first reported the settlement. It also dismisses claims against Harrah's employees whom the woman had accused of covering up the alleged sexual assault in Roethlisberger's penthouse suite.
Dunlap said in papers filed in Washoe District Court that his client wanted to have the case dismissed because all the parties had reached a resolution of all claims and counterclaims.
The Pittsburgh quarterback's lawyer has had no comment.
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Uggie is Golden Collar nominations' top dog (omg!)
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - In a move somewhat akin to having George Clooney announce the Oscar nominations, Uggie the dog announced on Wednesday that the top nominee for the first Golden Collar Awards, which honor canine performances in film and television, is -- Uggie the dog.
Uggie, the much-celebrated star of "The Artist," received a pair of nominations in the marquee category of Best Dog in a Theatrical Film - one for "The Artist," and the other for his performance as Queenie in "Water for Elephants."
He'll be going up against Cosmo, Denver and Hummer, who were nominated for their roles in "Beginners," "50/50" and "Young Adult, respectively.
Uggie was on hand to help with the nominations announcement, which was made with the help of his human co-star in "The Artist," Penelope Ann Miller.
The most interesting race in the other four categories in clearly the impending dogfight in the Best Dog in a Reality Television Series category, where three nominees from "Real Housewives" shows (Giggy and Jackpot from Beverly Hills and Millou from New York City) are expected to make mincemeat of Spartacus from "Ice Loves Coco" and Hercules from "Pit Boss" before turning their claws on each other.
And while Aki Kaurismaki's "Le Havre" was surprisingly left off the shortlist in the Oscar Foreign-Language category, the Finnish director can no doubt console himself with the knowledge that his canine lead, Laika, is up for Best Dog in a Foreign Film.
The Golden Collar Awards are the creation of the online magazine Dog News Daily, and will take place on Monday, February 13 at the dog-friendly Hotel Palomar in Los Angeles. Proceeds will benefit L.A.-area dog rescue shelters and organizations.
(Editing by Chris Michaud)
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
Sam Haskell: Miss America: 91 Years of Advocating for Education and Funding the Dreams of America's Young Women
Tomorrow night live on ABC, we will mark the 91st anniversary of an American icon as we continue our beloved tradition of crowning the next Miss America. At the Planet Hollywood Resort in spectacular Las Vegas, one woman will be chosen from 53 national finalists who are the most beautiful, talented and intelligent young women this country has to offer. At the risk of sounding like a diplomat, all of our contestants are winners. Here's why:
Our young women have dreams of going to college. Last year, the Miss America Organization made available more than $45 million in scholarships to help turn those dreams into reality. I've watched lives change because of the scholarships from our pageant program.
Here are just two examples of the impact that Miss America can have in fulfilling American dreams -- 50 years apart from one another.
Crowned 50 years ago, Maria Beale Fletcher was told by her father that it wasn't his dream that she go to college. It needed to be hers to dream and to fund. Maria promptly entered the local pageant and won $250. She went on to win Miss North Carolina and the Miss America pageant in 1962. With her Miss America scholarships, Maria earned her B.A. in French and philosophy at Vanderbilt University. She went on to become a successful business woman and an advocate for education.
As we say goodbye to the 2011 Miss America Teresa Scanlan, we proudly watch her pursue an undergraduate degree in government at Patrick Henry College, followed by law school. Not only has Patrick Henry College offered her a full scholarship, she plans to use the more than $62,000 in scholarships from the Miss America Organization to attend Harvard Law School. We wish her the very best as she pursues her dream to be a lawyer, U.S. president and Supreme Court justice.
The Miss America brand is known and loved for helping to fulfill the dreams of our nation's young women. We are now entering a new era for our organization as we expand our mission to encourage more girls and young women to pursue their dreams of a higher education and to attain the goals that will take them into their future.
Following her crowning on Saturday night, the 2012 Miss America will spend her year touring the country to encourage all young women to pursue a college education, and will focus on driving interest in the arts, as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. The Miss America Organization will work with national and community partners to create an unconventional approach to driving young women's interest in STEM.
Our efforts coincide with the national momentum to teach STEM curricula outside traditional school settings, targeting female students who are currently underrepresented in STEM professions. Our hope is to help shift girls' attitudes about STEM and boost the percentage of women employed in STEM-related industries. It's not just the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do for America's future and our economy.
Across the country, millions of little girls have the dream of becoming Miss America. Some of the young dreamers have won the crown and gone on to become media stars and moguls, missionaries and mothers, news anchors and newsmakers, singers and scientists, lawyers, doctors, teachers and preachers... and none of them started with a crown. They started with a dream.
The Miss America Organization is so much more than a beauty pageant. It's a dream machine.
So please join us tomorrow night on ABC. When the lights go up and the music begins, you will be a part of something bigger than crowning a new Miss America... you will be inspiring the next generation of little girls who will dare to dream.
Sam Haskell is the former chief of Worldwide Television at the William Morris Agency and the current Chairman of the Board of the Miss America Organization. He was named in 2007 by TV Week as one of the 25 Most Innovative and Influential People in Television over the last quarter century.
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-haskell/miss-america-91_b_1205674.html
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Howard breaks FT attempts mark, Magic top Warriors (AP)
OAKLAND, Calif. ? Dwight Howard broke Wilt Chamberlain's nearly 50-year-old NBA record for most free throw attempts in a game, making 21 of 39 in the Orlando Magic's 117-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
The Warriors hacked Howard intentionally throughout, sending the notoriously poor shooter to the line in record-setting fashion. Chamberlain shot 34 for the Philadelphia Warriors against St. Louis on Feb. 22, 1962.
Howard finished with 45 points and 23 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points to propel the Magic to their third straight victory.
Monta Ellis had 30 points and 11 assists and David Lee added 26 points and 12 rebounds for the short-handed Warriors, playing without starters Stephen Curry and Dorell Wright.
The Hack-a-Howard routine reached a whole new level.
Howard had never shot more than 24 free throws in a game ? which he had four times previously ? and fouled so early. Certainly, nothing compared to the Warriors' ways.
Howard eclipsed his old mark with 2:09 remaining in the third quarter, getting hacked and held intentionally at the end of each quarter with mixed results. If nothing else, Golden State rookie coach Mark Jackson's strategy slowed down the pace and refused to let the Magic's potent shooters find their rhythm.
Howard tied Chamberlain's record when Andris Biedrins fouled him ? and fouled out ? with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, making 1 of 2 to give the Magic a 93-92 lead. Howard has shot just below 60 percent at the line for his career.
Golden State almost managed an upset behind the tactic.
Klay Thompson put the Warriors ahead 107-106 on a 3-pointer with a little less than 3 minutes remaining, only to see Howard respond on the other end quickly. Howard floated a hook shot and then made a free throw to put the Magic back in front by two.
After Ellis made a runner to even the score, Howard grabbed an offensive rebound on the next possession and finished strong at the rim while getting fouled by Lee ? who also fouled out on the play. Howard made the free throw to complete a three-point conversion.
Von Wafer finally sealed Orlando's victory with a 3-point with 36.9 seconds to play that stretched the Magic's lead to six, blowing a kiss to the crowd afterward. Jackson could only shake his head.
The undersized Warriors sent double-teams and traps at Howard and frustrated the All-Star center with fouls from the start.
Jeremy Tyler intentionally fouled Howard with 8.1 seconds remaining in the first quarter, a tactic some teams utilize late in games with the center's well-documented struggles at the stripe, but rarely seen so early. Howard made 1 of 2.
After scoring the first nine points of the game, Golden State relied on the cushion for most of the first half. Nate Robinson's running layup pushed the Warriors ahead 44-3, relying on a surprisingly strong defensive effort.
And fouls.
Three more times in the second quarter, Jackson called for his players to intentional hack Howard as soon as he crossed half court. Howard was 5 of 6 from the line during that stretch.
Orlando closed the half with a flurry of free throws and layups, part of an 18-9 run that sliced Golden State's lead to only four at the break. Howard shot 9 for 18 from the line in the first half.
NOTES: Magic G Jason Richardson left with 8:46 remaining in the third quarter with a sprained left knee, the team said. He is day to day. ... Magic F Quentin Richardson sat out with a sprained left ankle. He remained hopeful to return Monday when the Magic play at the New York Knicks. ... Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber watched the game from courtside seats.
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